Professor I.G. Sarma, was the founding chairperson of the Department of Computer Science and Automation (then called the School of Automation) during the formative years of 1971-1979. His tenure as the chairman, Centre for Continuing Education and later as the Dean, Faculty of Engineering was marked by many important academic and education initiatives being launched at the Indian Institute of Science. Professor Sarma mainly worked in the areas of Flight Control, Guidance, and Simulation and closely interacted with many of the Aerospace R&D and Flight Vehicle Design Organisations such as the NAL, DRDL, VSSC, and ADA among others.